Tommy James and the Shondells

This week's trip down memory lane is courtesy of Tommy James and the Shondells, who had a handful of hits in the late '60s that have stood the test of time--about a half-dozen are instantly recognizable to almost anyone, even if it is because they were covered by other artists.

Their history is interesting. James (real name Thomas Jackson) had a band in Michigan and covered the song "Hanky Panky," which went nowhere. The group broke up and went their separate ways. But a Pittsburgh DJ uncovered the record, started playing it, and it became a hit. James learned about this only later, and since the original Shondells were long gone, he went to Pennsylvania, approached another group, asked them if they wanted to be the Shondells, and they said yes.

The Shondells' sound was a bit garage rock but a lot of bubblegum. They're song "I Think We're Alone Now" and "Mony Mony" are the best examples. James took the band in a different direction, flavoring the bubblegum with acid, as they went psychedlic with songs like "Crimson and Clover" and "Crystal Blue Persuasion."

The band broke up and James went solo and a couple of hits, including "Dragging the Line," in 1971, which I very much remember hearing on the radio. Of all the songs on their greatest hit album, I think this is the most interesting, with an insistent bass line and a more mature vocal from James (his vocal on "Crimson and Clover" sounds more feminine than Joan Jett's on the remake).

Tommy James and the Shondells are a kind of footnote to '60s rock (they turned down a chance to play at Woodstock) but their legacy is strong. Not only was their Jett's cover, but Billy Idol had a big hit with "Mony Mony." James still tours at nostaglia shows.